1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates generally to efficient means for the generation of electrical or other power utilizing energy from geothermal sources and, more particularly, relates to arrangements for suspending efficient super-heated steam generation and hot water pumping equipment in deep, hot water wells for the transfer of thermal energy to the earth's surface.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A prior art advance in the art of extraction and use of geothermal energy is reflected in the H. B. Matthews U.S. patent application Ser. No. 300,058 for a "Geothermal Energy System and Method", filed Oct. 24, 1972, issued July 23, 1974 as U.S. Pat. No. 3,824,793, and assigned to the Sperry Rand Corporation. This prior Matthews invention provides means for efficient power generation employing energy derived from geothermal sources through the generation of dry, super-heated steam and the consequent operation of sub-surface equipment for pumping extremely hot well water at high pressures upward to the earth's surface. Clean water is injected at a first or surface station into the deep well where thermal energy stored in hot solute-bearing deep well water is used at a second or deep well station to generate super-heated steam from the clean water. The resultant dry super-heated steam is used at the well bottom for operating a turbine-driven pump pumping the hot solute-bearing well water to the first station at the earth's surface, the water being pumped at all times and locations in the system at pressures which prevent flash steam formation. The highly energetic water is used at the surface or first station in a binary fluid system so that its thermal energy is transferred to a closed-loop surface-located vapor generator-turbine system for driving an electrical power alternator. Cooled, clean water is regenerated by the surface system for re-injection into the well for operation of the steam turbine therein. Undesired solutes are pumped back into the earth via a separate well in the form of a concentrated brine.